Life ban for ref attack thugs

TWO amateur rugby league thugs who attacked a teenage referee after a cup match have been handed permanent bans

Golborne Parkside duo Sean Evans and Dale Else, both 19, attacked referee Callum Lee in the changing rooms following their tie against the Chorley Panthers under 18.

Both Evans and Else pleaded guilty to an assault charge and were fined £200 each and ordered to pay £85 costs and £100 compensation to Mr Lee, who was 19 at the time, at Chorley Magistrates Court in July.

And this week the Rugby Football League meted out the bans following a tribunal.

Chorley Panthers chairman Peter Bridge said: “All I can say on behalf of our club is that it was a totally unprovoked incident. It was not a particularly ill-tempered match, it’s good that they’ve not been allowed to get away with it. We don’t want that in our sport.”

Parkside chairman Margaret Byrne said: “We cannot comment on the incident itself but as soon as it happened it was reported to the RFL. They have dealt with it and we will of course abide with the result of their tribunal.”

A statement from the RFL stated: “The RFL operational rules tribunal has imposed sine die suspensions on two Golborne Parkside players after they were found guilty of assaulting a match official in the match against Chorley Panthers.

“Sean Evans and Dale Else were deemed to be in breach of RFL operational rules and the Respect, Tackle it and Safeguarding policies.”

The RFL ruled that the suspension orders on Evans and Else should not be reviewed for five years.